You want to go to a good school, one that takes academics seriously and holds students to high standards of achievement. Earn a degree from that sort of school, and your future will be much smoother. Of course, that means that earning your degree won't be easy. It will take hard work and discipline.

Fair enough. You signed up for a serious school, and you're ready to put all your energy into the next four years. No one's perfect, though, and life has a funny way of intervening sometimes. Maybe that intervention comes in the form of a family emergency that demands your attention. Maybe it comes in the form of a professor you just can't seem to please. Maybe calculus just isn't your thing.

Whatever life brings you, don't let it interfere with your educational dreams. Persevere. Work through it. And know that there's someone out there who's on your side if you need it. Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team help students reach their potential even in the face of obstacles. They know how your school operates, they know what it takes to navigate the system, and they're ready to put that knowledge to work for you.

Academic Progression at the University of Hawaiʻi, Manoa

College success doesn't happen overnight. It's a process that involves making steady progress, one class at a time, one semester at a time, one year at a time. To help keep you on track, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, maintains an academic standing policy. That policy is meant to provide you with clear goals and regular updates on how well you're meeting those goals.

The primary goal is to keep your cumulative GPA above 2.0. As long as you do that, you're considered to be in “good” standing. Of course, if you're struggling, the school wants to make sure you know. So, there are consequences if your GPA falls below that 2.0 number. If that happens after your first semester, you're issued an academic “warning.” If it happens as you go forward in your academic career, it results in academic “probation.” Probation is merely a designation. That is, it doesn't come with any particular restrictions. You're still allowed to register as normal, for example. However, if you fail to earn a 2.0 term GPA while on probation, you are then subject to suspension.

Suspension means just what it sounds like it means. You are required to take at least one semester away from the university and consider what factors might be interfering with your academic progress. You must apply for readmission if you are suspended, and you should keep the following information in mind:

• If you take no classes while on suspension, you are placed on probation when you return.
• If you take classes at another institution while on suspension, you will be readmitted as a transfer student.
• If you wait longer than a semester to apply, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, doesn't guarantee your return.

Finally, if you continue to struggle academically once you return from a suspension, you can then be dismissed from the university entirely. Readmission after dismissal is rare, and to gain it, you must go through the ordinary admissions process just like any other applicant.

Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, doesn't offer a formal process for challenging academic standing decisions. You can, of course, apply for readmission after a suspension or dismissal, but at that point, your progress has been thrown completely off course. What can you do to forestall an academic sanction before it happens?

It turns out there are a number of options open to you.

• If your academic deficiencies were caused by extenuating circumstances, like a family emergency or a serious illness, you could appeal directly to your school or college dean. Often, mitigating factors can be grounds for avoiding probation or, if you're facing suspension, extending your probation.
• A low GPA can sometimes be the result of a simple recording error or a miscalculation. If you've kept a record of your work, it's usually a straightforward matter to get an instructor to submit a grade change request.
• You should report any mistreatment you experience in the classroom, either to the instructor's department head or your college dean. You may be entitled to grade relief.
• If your low grade in a course is the result of an academic misconduct allegation, you have the right to appeal your instructor's decision, the sanction, or both.
• Some faculty are open to grade negotiation. For example, you might try arguing that your high final exam grade demonstrates you mastered the course material, even if your other grades in the course are relatively low.
• Faculty are also sometimes willing to consider assigning extra credit or makeup work, especially when a student's grade is borderline and they only need a few points to make up the difference.

All these options and more are available to you, but it's not always easy to know how to take advantage of them. You have to know who to talk to, for instance, and what to say. Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team can not only help you come up with a plan that works for your particular situation, but they can help you put that plan into action. They can coach you, for example, on how to approach a professor. They can work with you to gather evidence and submit appeals. And, if worse comes to worst and you are suspended or dismissed, they can help you put together a petition for readmission.

Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento

Students sometimes ask: how can an attorney possibly help me deal with an academic problem? It's a fair question. After all, it's not like they can attend classes for you or take your exams.

The thing is, succeeding in college is often as much about navigating bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about dealing with bureaucracy than an attorney, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.

Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team are on your side. They understand that no one is perfect, and they're committed to the idea that a few mistakes shouldn't keep you from earning your degree and going on to a successful career. They'll fight to make sure you're treated fairly and that you get all the rights you deserve. You've worked hard to get to this point. Don't let that hard work go to waste. To find out more about how you can fight dismissal, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.